Abstract
Poor corn (Zea mays) stand establishment in the presence of surface plant residue in conservation tillage may reduce yield potential
and thus limits the adoption of themethod by farmers. A study was conducted to compare the effects of three tillage systems and three
types of planter attachment on the amount of surface and subsurface residues after planting, emergence rate index, seed spacing indices
and seeding depth of corn in a soil coveredwith previouswheat (Triticumaestivum) residues.Tillage treatmentswere single pass of disc
harrow, three passes of disc harrow, and single pass of disc harrowfollowed by chisel plowing.Cornwas planted with a planter equipped
with either a plain rolling coulter, a rowcleaner or a combination of rowcleaner followed by plain rolling coulter. Tillage treatments did
not show any significant effect on measured variables except seeding depth. Seeding depth was highest and the most uniform for the
planter prepared with three passes of disc harrow. No interaction on measured variables was observed among treatments incorporating
tillage modes and planter attachments. Row cleaner and row cleaner followed by rolling coulter retained less surface residue as
compared to coulter attachment. Row cleaner retained less subsurface residue as compared to row cleaner followed by rolling coulter.
Lower surface and subsurface residues in the case of rowcleaner attachment treatment led to the highest emergence rate index. Coulter
attachment increased quality of feed index as compared to planter with no attachment. Row cleaner increased the quality of feed index
and decreasedmiss and precision indices.Rowcleaner followedby rolling coulter had highest quality of feed index and lowest values of
miss and precision indices; this treatment exhibited deepest and the most uniform seeding depth mainly because of better residue
cleaning and efficient cutting of the soil and trash.